Operating device for flexible roller-shutters.



vPATFNTED PEB.11,--19os E. H.M0GLoUn-. OPERATING DEVI@ B F015 FLEXIBLE'RQ'LLER SHUTTBRS.-

APPLICATION FILED JUNBQ, 1-906.

'QAM @WA L; attentats rn! nouns urnes ca.. wasmricrvn n. c

.z @Bmw-SHEET -1.

No. 878,659. PATENTED PEB. 11, 1908.

E. vH, MUGLOUD, OPERATING DEVICE EOEELEXIELE EoLLEE sEUTTEEs APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 9. 1906. 4

vz sHEETs-snEET z.

Izq. J.

. y y Edwardczom Wits/won: l

@WM N E, @fm a@ fz @1%. am@

TH: Nomus treks ca, wAsHlNoroN, n. c.

EDWARD H. MCGLOUD, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

OPERATING DEVICE FOR FLEXIBLE ROLLER-SHUTTERS.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed June 9. 1906- Serial No. 320.995.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD I-I. MGCLOUD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Devices forFlexible Rolling Shutters and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved roller support andoperating mechanism for flexible rolling shutters, and a further objectis to improve the construction of frame and runway in `which suchshutters are guided.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown in its applicationto a shutter constructed of Wooden slats, but shutters of other materialcan be used, and the invention is not limited to the precise form anddetails of construction shown.

In said drawings-Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, through theshutter roller and shutter, the operative mechanism being shown partlyin full and partly in broken lines Fig. 2 is a partial front view of theshutter and operative parts, the latter being shown in full; Fig. 3 is aside elevation on a reduced scale with parts broken away; Fig. 4 is afront view of the right hand end of the device, parts being broken awayto show details of construction; Fig. 5 is a view of the inner side ofthe right hand end of the device with some of the parts removed and somebroken away.

In the several views 1 designates the shutter roller or drum of anyappropriate construction provided with end stud shaft lat ex` tendingthrough slots 2, 2 in end brackets 3 and 3a secured above a door orother opening as usual. The roller shown is of the hollow form adaptedto contain a counterbalancing spring, if desired, my invention beingapplicable to rollers with or without counterbalancing devices. Theslots 2, 2 are inclined upwardly and outwardly on an arc of a circle theouter ends of said slots limiting the outward movement of the roller.The stud shafts 1 of the roller 1 are ournaled in rocking arms 5 and 5awhich arms are pivotally mounted on pins 1b and 1C, respectively, fixedin the brackets 3 and 3a. It will be observed that the rocking arms 5and 5aL are pivoted at points below the higher ends of the slots 2, orbelow the points where the roller will contain the greatest weight ofthe curtain. This construction facilitates the movement of the roller bygravity to a position where the curtain shall extend in the channelstangent to the roller. The mechanism for rotating the roller l wherebythe shutter is wound thereon comprises a large gear wheel 6 fixed to thestud shaft 1"1L of the shutter roller, an intermediate gear 8 looselymounted on the pin lb and meshing with said large gear 6, apinion 7 inengagement with said intermediate gear 8 and fixed to a shaft i 9 whichshaft is j ournaled in a bracket arm 1() extending from said bracket 3,said shaft 9 having secured thereto4 a sprocket wheel 11 adapted to bedriven by a chain 12. Because the arc of movement of the shaft la hasfor its center Athe center of the vpin 1b,the large gear 6 is inconstant engagement with the intermediate gear 8 and the curtain can beoperated in all its positions.

Secured to the brackets 3 and 33L opposite the shutter roller are smallantifrictionrollers 14 for the purpose of guiding the curtain in itsascent and descent and relieving the friction thereof in its passageinto or out of the channel. Instead of having separate rollers 14,'oneroller 14a may be employed extending entirely across the space betweenthe vertical guideways or channels for the shutter.

The shutter and operating devices and also the channel frame are shownas secured to the inside of a doorway. In order to close the openingabove the channel and between the door frame and shutter to prevent theentrance of dust vand rain into the room I provide a bar 15 secured tothe bracket varms 3 and 3a and extending across the doorway above and infront of the channels. The bar 15 is preferably formed with an upwardlyprojecting flange 16 bent away from the channel and adapted to guide theshutter and prevent friction'at the openings into the channels. When acontinuous roller 14a is employed extending entirely across the spacebetween the channels the bar 15 may be dispensed with as the rollerserves the purpose of closing the space.

In operating the device to wind up thev shutter the sprocket wheel 11 isrotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, whereby, through thetrain of gearing referred to, the large gear connected with the rollershaft, and consequently the roller, are rotated.`

The antifriction devices referred to are so located with reference tothe roller that they have constant bearing upon the shutter as it isrolled upon or from the roller. Hence, as the shutter is wound up itscontact With the antifriction rollers forces the shutter roller andshutter laterally and outwardly in the elongated slots. The antifrictionrollers are also so constructed and located that the inner edges of theshutter channels are in a' vertical line tangent to the roller surface,

hence the unwound portion of the shutter hangs by its own weight alwaysin a vertical line both in and above the channels, thus tending toprevent friction and wear of the arts and facilitating the manipulationof the evice.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a flexible rolling shutter and channel therefor,of a roller -for the shutter, an arm pivoted below said roller andengaging a bearing thereof, end brackets provided with slots to receivethe bearings of the roller and in which said bearings move, said slotsbeing inclined downwardly towards the channel and terminating at theirupper ends in a plane substantially vertically above the pivot of saidarm whereby the upward movement of the roller is limited to saidvertical plane, and said roller and shutter thereon being free to moveof their vown weight toward said channel when the shutter unrolls, andmeans for rotating the roller.

2. In combination with the roller of a flexible rolling shutter, saidroller being laterally movable, a pivoted arm engaging a bearing of theroller and movable therewith, a gear mounted on the end of said roller,a second gear having a fixed axis of rotation and engaging thefirst-mentioned gear, the axis of movement of said pivoted arm alsocoinciding with the axis of rotation of the secondmentioned gear.

8. In combination with the roller of a ilexible rolling shutter, saidroller being laterally movable, an arm pivoted below the vhorizontalplane of the axis of the roller and engaging a bearing of the roller andmovable therewith, a gear mounted on the end of saidroller, and a secondgear having a fixed axis of rotation and engaging the first-mentionedgear.

4. In combination with the roller of a flexible rolling shutter, saidroller being laterally movable, a pivoted arm engaging a bearing of theroller and movable therewith, a spur gear mounted on the roller, a spurgear to engage the first-mentioned spur gear and having a fixed axis ofrotation, a spur pinion to drive the second-mentioned gear, and asprocket wheel carrying a chain mounted to operate the pinion.

5. In combination with the roller of a flexible rolling shutter, saidroller being laterally movable, a pivotedarm engaging a bearing of theroller and movable therewith, a spur gear mounted on the roller, a spurgear to engage the first-mentioned spur gear and having a fixed axis ofrotation, and means to operate the second-mentioned gear including asprocket wheel and chain.

6. In combination with a flexible shutter and roller therefor, of endbrackets having openings in which said roller moves, pivoted bracketarms in which said roller is journaled, means for rotating said roller,and antifriction devices adapted to engage the shutter whereby as thelatter is wound upon its roller the said roller and shutter thereon aremoved laterally invsaid openings.

7. In combination with a flexible shutter and roller therefor, ofvertical channels or guides for said shutter, end brackets havingopenings in whichthe bearings of said roller move, pivoted bracket armsin which said roller is journaled, means for rotating said roller, andan antifriction roller extending between said channels and adapted toengage the shutter whereby as the latter is wound upon its roller thesaid roller and shutter thereon are moved laterally in said openings.

8. In combination with the frame of a door-way or other opening, aiiexible shutter and roller therefor, end brackets, vertical guides forsaid shutter, an angle bar extending horizontally between said verticalguides and the upper part -of the door frame, means for rotating saidroller to wind the shutter, said roller and the shutter vthereon beingmovable laterally with respect to said guides.

9. In combination with the frame of a door-way or other opening, aflexible shutter and roller therefor, vertical guides for said shutter,a bar extending horizontally between said vertical guides and the upperpart of the door frame or opening and provided on its edge adjacent thevertical guides with an 'upwardly extending and outwardly curved

